Decollator



R. F. BIRD DECOLLATOR Sept. 23, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27,1966 a/Ja rw f 0 wlzmzntl" I Por 3K0 g Jp/w, gf/4, 'il

sept. 23, 1969 'R F, BIRD 3,468,530

DECOLLATOR Filed Sept. 2'?, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l U.S. Cl. 270--52.5

lUnited States Patent O 3,468,530 DECOLLATOR Roy F. Bird, 1631 Garfield,Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401 Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 582,344 Int. Cl.B65h 41/00, 45/101 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE Method andapparatus are provided for decollating strips folded in zigzag fashion'by drawing an inner strip upwardly and coiling it while allowingadjacent strips to -fall by gravity into separate piles.

T his invention relates to decollating machines and, more particularly,to an improved machine for separating into separate piles continuousadjacent strips folded in zigzag fashion.

Various types of business machines such as, for example, automatic`accounting equipment, use continuous form paper. Frequently, thiscontinuous form paper comprises at least three continuous adjacentstrips which are folded in zigzag fashion into a pile or stack comprisedof parallel sections of the strips. One of the outer two strips is anoriginal on stationary paper, the middle strip is carbon paper, and theother outer strip is a carbon copy. There may also be additional carbonstrips and carbon copies.

After using such continuous form paper, it is frequently necessary todecollate or separate the original and carbon copy strips intoindividual piles in which the strips are folded in zigzag fashion asbefore, and to remove the middie strip or carbon paper for disposal.Manual separation of these strips of continuous form paper is often atedious and time-consuming process, as well as a disagreeable one inthat the carbon or ink frequently wipes olf the middle strip onto thehands and clothing. Although machines have been devised for performingthis decollating or separating function, such machines have heretoforebeen relatively complex, rendering the machines expensive to manufactureand maintain. It has also frequently made them difficult to load andhard to adapt to various types and weights of continuous form paper.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved machine fordecollating or separating continuous adjacent strips folded in zigzagfashion into a pile or stack comprised of parallel sections of thestrips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine ofthe type described which is low in cost and simple of construction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a decollatingmachine of the type described which is easy to load when initiating thedecollating operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a decollating machine ofthe type described which is light in weight and compact of size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a decollatingmachine of the type described which is adaptable to a variety of typesand weights of continuous form 1 aperp Other objects, and the variousadvantages of the invention, will become apparent to those skilled inthe Aart from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordancewith the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine taken along theline 2--2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine taken along theline 3-3 of FIGURE l; and

ICS

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partially broken away sectional view taken alongthe line 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

The machine of the invention is particularly adapted to separate threecontinuous adjacent strips 11, 12 and 13.which are folded in zigzagfashion into a pile 14 (FIG. 2). Very generally, the machine comprises aplatform 16 for supporting the pile 14 which is to be decollated, withthe folded strips in a generally horizontal position. A coiling device17 is provided for drawing the middle or intermediate strip 12substantially vertically upwardly from the platform 16. The coilingdevice is positioned a suicient distance from the top of the pile 14 topermit the two outer strips 11 and 13 to fall away from the middle strip12 on opposite sides thereof as the middle strip is drawn upwardly.Guides 18 and 19 defined by the platform 16 direct the two outer strips11 and 13 into individual piles 20 and 21 where they re-fold in zigzagfashion.

Referring now more particularly to the details of the invention, themachine includes a frame for supporting the various elements thereof.The frame is comprised of an elongated rectangular base 22 which isshown in the drawings as being comprised of a web of expanded metalstilfened by end members 23 and side members 24 attached to theunderside of the base. However, solid sheet metal might also he used forthe base if desired. The end members 23 bear against the floor uponwhich the machine is placed while the side members 24 are elevatedslightly thereabove (FIG. 2).

The frame of the machine also includes a pair of upright pedestals 25and 26 which are disposed on opposite sides of the base 22. The pedestal25 includes four legs 27 of square cross section which are secured inpairs by two spacer blocks 28 placed approximately midway of the heightof the legs. The two legs 27 nearest the base 22 are secured to one ofthe side members 24, such as by welds or screws, and extend below thebase 22 the same distance as the corresponding extent of the end members23 to provide two spaced floor bearing points for the base midwaybetween its ends.

The pedestal 26 includes four legs 29, also of square cross section,although a lesser number of legs could be used. The legs are separatedand secured in pairs by two spacer struts 31. The spacer struts 31 arelonger than the spacer blocks 28 of the pedestal 25 and, hence, thesecured pairs of legs 29 are spaced further apart in the direction awayfrom the 'base 22 than are the corresponding pairs of the legs 27. Thespacer struts 31 are secured approximately midway of the height of thelegs 29 and the pairs of the legs 29 of the pedestal 26 are eachapproximately aligned with a respective pair of the legs 27 of thepedestal 25. The two of the legs 29 of the pedestal 26 which are nearestthe base 22 are secured to one of the side members 24 in the same manneras the two inner legs 27 of the pedestal 25, and extend below the baseto provide further floor bearing points for supporting the base.

The platform 16 extends transversely between the legs of the twopedestals 25 and 26 approximately midway of the height thereof. It is ofgenerally polyhedral form, having a number of planar surfaces and beingopen at each end. The platform includes a plateau 32 for supporting thepile 14 (FIGURE 2) of at least three continuous adjacent strips 11, 12and 13 folded in zigzag fashion. The pile 14 is supported with thestrips in a generally horizontal position; however, the plateau 32 isdepressed toward the center thereof to produce a slightly concave bowingof the folded segments of the strips in the pile to prevent the pilefrom toppling over. In order to achieve the depression of the plateau,it is composed of two intersecting planar sections such that the line ofintersection runs the length of the transverse support member betweenthe two pedestals 25 and 26.

The platform 16 is further comprised of the pair of guides 18 and 19which are in the form of planar surfaces which depend from oppositesides of the platform 16 and extend outwardly therefrom. The guides 18and 19, being positioned below and on opposite sides of the platform 16,direct the two outer strips 11 and 13 into individual piles 20 and 21where they re-fold in zigzag fashion, as will be subsequently explainedin connection with the operation of the machine. A pair of connectingbars 33 on the platform 16 extend between the lower corners of the guidesurfaces 18 and 19, affording rigidity to the platform member andsupporting the lower edges of the guide surfaces.

The platform 16 is shown as being formed of a unitary piece of expandedmetal or other suitable material stiifened by suitable edge strips 34.Other constructions may be used, however, such as an assembly of severalpieces of metal or other suitable material welded or otherwise fastenedtogether. The platform is attached to the pedestals 25 and 26 and, moreparticularly, to the inner ones of the legs 27 and 29, at the edgestrips 34 at opposite edges of the guides 18 and 19 and at theconnecting bars 33. The attachment may be made by any suitable means,but is preferably accomplished by welds or screws.

The coiling device 17 for drawing the middle strip 12 of the threestrips 11, 12 and 13 substantially vertically upwardly of the platform16 from the pile 14 supported thereon includes a roller 17a upon whichthe middle sheet is coiled. Thus, if the middle sheet is comprised ofcarbon paper, the roller 17a may be coated with a gummed or adhesivematerial to which the paper will adhere. The roller 17a may be of anysuitable material, but is preferably of cardboard, the low cost therebymaking it disposable. This makes it unnecessary to unroll the middlestrip when the middle strip is to be disposed of.

The roller 17a extends between and is supported by means extending froma pair of housings 35 and 36. The housing 35 is mounted atop the legs 27of the pedestal 25, and the internal structure thereof may be seen inFIGURE 4. The housing 35 is constructed of a plurality of outer plates30 secured to each other at the corners of the housing on the topportions of the legs 27. The plates 30 may be welded or screwed to thelegs. The housing 36, which is mounted atop the legs l29 of the pedestal26, is of similar construction and includes a pluraltiy of outer plates30 secured to each other at the corners of the housing on the topportions of the legs 29.

A pair of reinforcing plates 3S are provided near one end of the housing35 (see FIGURE 4) and are secured to the adjacent plates 30. Suitableopenings are provided in the reinforcing plates 38 and their adjacentplates 30 for accommodating a shaft 41 journalled in bushings 42 and 43which are preferably of nylon or a similar selflubricating material. Aknob 39 is attached -by means of a screw 40 to one end of the shaft 41protruding externally of the housing 35. The opposite end of theshaft'41 externally of the housing 35 is threaded into a retalner orcontact element 46. A spring retaining pin 44 extends dlametricallythrough the shaft 41, and a coil spring 45 is disposed about theperiphery of the shaft 41 and is cornpressed between the pin 44 and thereinforcing plate 38 closest to the knob 39. This compression biases orspring loads the knob 39 inwardly toward the housing 35, andcorrespondingly spring loads the retainer or contact element 46outwardly of the housing 35 toward the housing 36. The retainer 46 isprovided with a plurality of annular groves Sti which engage and gripthe roller 17a for rotating same.

The housing 36, as previously mentioned, is of the same type ofconstruction as the housing 35. The housing 36, however. is larger thanthe housing 35 and encloses a motor 47 suitably supported therein bymeans not illustrated. The motor 47 rotates a drive shaft 48 which isjournalled in a self lubricating bushing 49 which extends throughsuitable openings in a stiffener plate 53 and one of the plates 30. Thedrive shaft 43 is in axial alignment with the shaft 41 of the housing35. A contact element 52, which may be identical with the contactelement 46, is attached to the end of the drive shaft 48 externally ofthe housing 36. The contact element 52 may be attached to the driveshaft 51 in the same manner as the contact element 46 is attached to thedrive shaft 41, and is of construction identical with the contactelement 46. The contact element 52 engages and drives the opposite endof the roller 17a from that of the contact element 46.

It will be noted that the axis of the roller 17a is positioned offsetfrom a position directly above the plateau 32 of the platform 16. Inorder to insure that the middle strip 12 is withdrawn directly upwardlyfrom the pile 14, and in order to insure proper tension on such middlestrip as it is wound on the roller, the middle strip is threaded througha pair of guides 54 and 56 which are attached to and extend between thehousings 35 and 36. The guides consist of a pair of metal rods spacedfrom each other 'and parallel to each other, and are positioned directlyabove the center of the plateau 32. It should be noted at this pointthat the pedestals 25 and 26 are of sufficient height that the coilingdevice 17, consisting of the roller 17a and the guides 54 and 56 andassociated elements, are a sufficient distance above the platform 16 andthe top of the pile 14 to permit the two outer strips 11 and 13 to fallaway from the middle strip 12 on opposite sides thereof as the middlestrip is drawn upwardly over the top of the guide 56, under the guide 54and onto the roller 17a.

In operating the machine of the invention, the pile 14 of, for example,three continuous adjacent strips, 11, 12 and 13, folded in zigzagfashion, is placed on the plateau 32 of the platform 16. The middlestrip is manually grasped and drawn upwardly over the guide rod 56,under the guide rod 54, and onto the roller 17a. The knob 39 is thenmanually turned until the middle strip is Wrapped at least once aroundthe roller 17a. At this point, the motor is started.

Because of the positioning of the guides 54 and 56, and the roller 17a,as the middle strip 12 is drawn upwardly, the two outer strips 11 and 13fall away therefrom on opposite sides of the middle strip. The guidesurfaces 18 and 19 on the transverse support member 32 direct the strips11 and 13 downwardly and outwardly of the platform 16 so that they dropdown to the upper surface of the base plate 22 and are refolded inzigzag fashion into separate piles 20 and 21. The point at which themiddle strip 12 leaves the pile 14 will move from side to Side, asviewed in FIGURE 2, as the pile unfolds.

When the entire stack 41 has been depleted and decollated, the separatestacks 20 and 21 may be removed and the roller 17a also removed from themachine. Removal of the roller 17a may be accomplished by drawing theknob 39 axially outwardly of the housing 35 against the bias or loadingof the spring 45. This will move the contact element 46 toward thehousing 35 and permit the roller 17a to be released. The middle strip 12may then be removed from the roller 17a or, in the case of carbon paperand a cardboard roller, may be disposed of along with the roller. A newroller or the emptied roller may then be inserted between the contactelements 46 and the machine will be ready to decollate a new pile ofcontinuous paper.

In order to facilitate the refolding of the strips 11 and 13 into thepiles 20 and 21, a pair of receivers 60 are placed on the base plate 22.Each of the receivers comprises a pair of spaced three-lingered uprights62 and 63 supported by a paiir of brackets 64, 64, respectively. Theuprights 62 and 63 may be of metal or other suitable material and eachhas a wire 69 tackwelded or soldered to it and extending across thefingers near the tips thereof.

The brackets 64 are suitably secured by guides 66, on the underside ofthe brackets, in an elongated slot 67 running the length of a metalstrip 68 on the base 22. Thus, the uprights 62 and 63 may be positionedat any desired distance apart in order to accommodate a particular sizeof continuous paper.

Although the invention has been described in connectidn with continuouspaper comprising three continuous strips 11, 12 and 13, it will beunderstood that the continuous paper may be formed of more than threecontinuous strips, in which case the piles or 21 or both may becomprised of several adjacent continuous strips rather than only asingle strip, folded in zigzag fashion. It has been found that theconstruction described in connection with the invention providesextremely reliable and consistent operation.

The machine is easily adapted to provide precise control for any type or-weight of continuous paper by varying the speed at which the middlestrip 12 is drawn upwardly. To permit such variation, the motor 47 maybe provided with a variable speed control, not illustrated, to vary thespeed at which the roller 17 is rotated. The gravity or free fall aspectof the machine renders the machine simple in construction fortrouble-free operation and low cost. The lightweight and compact sizeofthe machine permits the machine to be taken and positioned readily inany convenient location.

It may therefore be seen that the invention provides an improved machinefor separating continuous strips folded in zigzap fashion into a pile.The machine is of low cost and simple construction, is easily loaded,and is of lightweight and compact size. The machine is readily adaptableto a variety of types and weights of continuous paper. Variousmodilications and embodiments of the invention other than those shownand described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Such otherembodiments and modilications thereof are intended to fall within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for separating a pile of at least three continuous adjacentstrips folded in zigzag fashion into separate piles, said machinecomprising a support frame including a base and a pedestal extendingupwardly of said base, a platform supported by said pedestal inoverhanging relation to said base, said platform having a plateauthereon for supporting the pile, said plateau being formed with adepression toward the center thereof and being located a suicientdistance above said base to permit refolding on said base of stripsleaving said plateau in an unfolded condition, a roller disposed inoverhanging relation to said plateau and mounted for rotation about agenerally horizontal axis, said roller being adapted to be attached toand draw one strip to be separated substantially directly upward of saidplatform for ywinding on said roller, said roller being adapted to bepositioned a suflicient distance above said plateau to permit otherstrips to freely fall away from the one strip on opposite sides thereof,a motor for rotatably driving said roller, said platform having a pairof depending guides beneath said plateau and extending outwardly fromadjacent opposite sides thereof for engaging and guiding the otherstrips to fold in zigzag fashion into individual piles, and receivers onsaid base in which said individual piles are received.

2. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base includes anelongated slot therein, and wherein a receiver having at least twoupright walls is positioned in said slot for receiving one of the twoother strips therein.

3. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a spring loaded knob isprovided near the upper end of said pedestal, and wherein a contactelement is attached to said knob for engaging said roller, whereby saidspring loaded knob may be moved axially against the spring loading torelease said roller from said contact element and permit removal of saidroller.

4. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said roller ispositioned to one side of a position directly above the center of saidplateau, and wherein a pair of parallel guides are positioned proximatesaid roller and directly above the center of said plateau, said guidesbeing adapted to receive the middle strip threaded therethrough prior toits being Wound on said roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,676 7/ 1934 Marchev242-68.4 2,805,855 9/ 1957 Sornberger 270-52.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 727,723 4/1955l Great Britain. 988,388 4/ 1965 GreatBritain.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 270-61

